he diamond necklace felt like a brand against my skin. He left fo

my wedding dress. It was a custom design, a piece of art that had ta

the way Liam had looked at me when he saw the final design, his eyes full of what I had

obably demand it next. A trophy to hang i

ign studio downstairs. I walked out to the manicu

something. They stood on the patio, frozen, as I made the first cut. The soun

onto the grass like tiny, lost tears. I shredded the long, elegant tra

lled, his voice a mixture of shock and fury.

my voice calm and eve

de, clinging to his arm. "Liam, she' s gone

. Turns out, there wasn' t one." I looked directly at Chloe. "You like wearing other

, her classic move. "Liam, she' s scaring me! She' s

lost your mind. You know the family rules about destroy

hears. "I' m ready." My calm defiance was my only wea

ed me to beg, to cry. But I just stood there, waiting. It made

ered the security guards who had ap

hay and leather. They handed Liam a long, thin riding crop. The

respect, Ava,"

back to him, biting my lip so hard I tasted bloo

digging into my palms. Another. And another. Pain radiated through me, but I remai

ng. He wanted a reaction, a sign that he was breaking

y. I was swaying on my feet, my back

oice laced with a strange, unsettling mix of a

d not

tradicted his actions, he scooped me into his arms. The movement

ur bedroom, and laid me gently on the

f conflicting emotions. "Why do you have to be so st

own violence. My heart, which I thought had turned

After he left, Liam stayed with me for two days, a parody of a concerned husband. He brought me food, c

efore, he left.

One of Liam' s drivers was taking me. We were on a quiet subu

from the car. The driver didn' t even try t

d smelled of stale beer. They drove for what felt like

He ripped at my blouse, tearing the fabric, exposing my skin. The flash of the camera was a series of small exp

egged, tears finally

gift from Chloe. She said you needed to be ta

ated cruelty. Liam may have wielded the whip, but Chlo

way of my dignity. When they were done, they threw me back in t

espair. I had thought I' d reached the bottom. I was wrong. There were deeper, d